The world is becoming increasingly materialistic and opportunistic. Such people often have no purpose or value beyond the gratification of their sensual desires (Bhagavad-gita 16.07). 

To love values is good: Amid materialism, those who mold their lives according to noble values such as honesty, humility, diligence are special. They can do greater justice to their god-given talents and become trustworthy building blocks of society. 

To value love is better: Those who love values can, however, become judgmental toward those who don’t live similarly. If we want our practice of values to enrich our heart, not inflate our ego, we need to connect deeply with people. And such connection rests on love. Indeed, love is the most foundational of all values. When our practice of values is infused with love, our practice inspires others to change for the better. 

To love the source of all values and love is the best: Gita wisdom reveals that the ultimate reality, Krishna, is the source of everything, including all love and all values. He is all-pure and all-purifying. If we can’t love deeply or live according to values, that’s often because we have weakened ourselves by disconnecting from the one who is the source of all strength. When we connect with him by practicing bhakti-yoga, we become purified and uplifted. 

The Bhagavad-gita’s progression points to the primacy of devotional love in the human quest for self-transformation. The whole Gita stresses the importance of living according to values. It then stresses the importance of being sensitive while being principled (03.26, 06.35). And then it urges us to be both devoted and virtuous (12.13-19), while assuring that those with faith in the transformational potency of devotion will become transformed (12.20).

Think it over:

  • Why is loving values good?
  • Why is valuing love better?
  • Why is loving the divine the best?

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16.08 They say that this world is unreal, with no foundation, no God in control. They say it is produced of sex desire and has no cause other than lust.

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